BUG: Sp_help on a User-Defined varbinary Data Type

 Last reviewed: April 28, 1997
Article ID: Q88598

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft SQL Server version 4.2 for OS/2
  • Microsoft SQL Server, versions 4.21 and 4.21a
BUG# OS/2: 1382 (4.2) 
       NT:  877 (4.2)

SYMPTOMS

Executing sp_help on a user-defined data type of type varbinary returns two rows, with Storage_type being of the types timestamp and varbinary, respectively.

CAUSE

This problem occurs because both timestamp and varbinary have the same type field value (37) in the systypes table. Sp_help does not eliminate the special case for timestamp.

WORKAROUND

You can drop sp_help and recreate it after modifying the text of the sp_help procedure to handle this correctly. Do this by searching for the text "st.usertype != 18" to ignore the sysname table and adding the following additional clause to the WHERE list: 

   and st.usertype != 80
This clause eliminates the condition for timestamp.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in SQL Server version 4.2 for OS/2 and Microsoft SQL Server versions 4.21 and 4.21a. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

Additional query words: Transact-SQL datatype Windows NT
Keywords : kbbug4.20 kbbug4.21 kbbug4.21a kbprg SSrvServer SSrvWinNT
Version : 4.2 | 4.21 4.21a
Platform : OS/2 WINDOWS

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Last reviewed: April 28, 1997
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